Mama's Secret
by Freedom-In-Fantasy
Summary: The graduation party changed everything for Sam Puckett. But how long will she be able to keep it a secret from Carly and Freddie?
1. Chapter 1

**Mama's Secret Chapter 1**

 **Author's Note:** This story popped into my head and wouldn't leave, so we'll see where it goes. All characters etc belong to the makers of the show etc.

 **The Graduation Party**

Everyone was on a high, they were done with high school forever and could now supposedly move onto bigger and better things. Sam Puckett was not one of those people. She surveyed the room full of people laughing merrily with drinks in their hand with a passive face. But inside she was bitter. Carly and Freddie were off to fancy colleges with big dreams, while Sam had no idea what the future had instore for her. For her, iCarly and her friends had been what had made her feel like she could be something. Now Carly was off with the rest of them, talking about her aspirations and already forgetting that Sam even existed. Sam shook herself, Sam Puckett did not give a damn about people. She looked down at her drink. Or at least she wouldn't care about people in a few minutes' time.

Freddie Benson was trying to have a good time, but this wasn't really his element. He'd had way too much to drink and had somehow lost his friends. Random people blurred past him as he looked for them. He didn't know what he was going to do on his own without people like Carly making friends with everyone for him. Or even Sam who terrified and charmed people with her brash personality. People were drawn to them. Who would be drawn to nerdy Freddie Benson? Well as Sam had said, he was heading to nerd central, so perhaps it wouldn't be so bad.

"Nub!" Freddie looked up from his internal musings. A very tipsy Sam was standing in front of him. "Stop being a loser and start drinking like everyone else."  
"I am drinking." Freddie protested.  
"You've been staring into space for the last 5 minutes doing shit all." Sam informed him. "Now drink."  
"You can't make me." Freddie retorted childishly.  
Sam grabbed a half empty bottle of Vodka and two shot glasses. "Yes I can, whoever drinks the least has to declare their undying love for Gibby."  
"Fine." Freddie grabbed a shot glass. "But no cheating."  
"Moi?" Sam smiled devilishly. "Never. Now drink up Mama's boy."  
Freddie of course replied by taking the shot. He winced at the burn, but a Sam's smirk gestured for her to pour them both another one.

Half an hour later Sam was hint with a rather embarrassing urge. "Benson, I gotta pee." She slurred. "You wait right here and I'll be right back." With that she attempted to get up, stumbling, she finally managed to stand before tripping all the way down to the bathroom. Exiting she was surprised to see Freddie waiting outside for her with a lost puppy look on his face.  
"What are you doing here?" Sam asked in confusion.  
"Got bored." Freddie replied.  
"Sure." Sam replied, not sure what else to say.  
"Vodka?" Freddie asked, breaking the awkward silence. Sam poured them both a glass.  
"Bottoms up." She held her glass up then swung in back. Noticing Freddie hadn't had his she pushed in towards him. Freddie just continued to stare at her. "What's up Nub?" Sam finally asked.  
Freddie laughed bitterly. "Nothing." And took his shot. He them poured them both another one avoiding Sam's gaze. They continued in this fashion for some time, slumping again the wall. Tentatively Freddie put his arm around Sam and if she noticed, she didn't say a word.  
"I'm gonna miss you and Carly." Sam slurred after they'd stopped drinking.  
"I'll miss you guys too." Freddie looked at Sam from his position on the floor. "I don't know how I'll ever find anyone else like you guys."  
"I doubt I'll be that hard to replace." Sam muttered bitterly.  
Freddie reached up and cupped her face. "Never. There is no one like Sam Puckett. Bold, funny, violent at times, addicted to meat and somehow gorgeous."  
"What?" Sam looked at Freddie in surprise. "You think I'm gorgeous?"  
Freddie swallowed. "Totally." He looked down at the tiny short and tank top Sam was wearing, admiring her long legs and modest cleavage. "Downright sexy in fact." Freddie cringed. He couldn't believe he'd just said that. But Sam didn't seem to mind, she kept leaning closer and suddenly Freddie lost it, he pulled her too him and kissed her. Even in his drunken state he expected Sam to slap him, but she didn't, she just held onto the back of his neck when he tried to move away and ran her other hand down his torso. Freddie started to move his own hands gingerly, finally fulfilling a desire of his by placing a hand on her arse and giving it a squeeze. And was he shocked when Sam responding by doing the same. This was exactly what he had dreamed of. Well a little more clothing than he'd dreamed, but a good start. "Freddie?" Sam tore herself away from him for a second and he noticed that somehow some of those clothes he'd been wishing would disappear, had in fact disappeared. "If we're going to do this perhaps we should find a room."  
"What?" Had Sam just said what Freddie thought she had said.  
Sam suddenly looked self-conscious. "Or we can just leave it here."  
"What no. I want to. Actually I really want to." Freddie admitted shyly. Sam smiled, leaned in for a quick kiss, then led him into one of the bedrooms, then tension mounting between them.

 **The Next Morning**

Freddie groaned. His mouth tasted like cotton wool, his head felt heavy and the light was so damn bright. He blearily looked out on one eye and saw he was in an unfamiliar room. Where the hell was he. He looked around and saw a mass of blonde curls next to him. Was that Sam, and was that his underwear by her head? He looked down and his own body and sure that sure enough he was missing his pants. The realisation came crashing down on him. He had slept with his blonde demon friend who he might have a tiny crush on. This was not good. His stomach started to heave. Stumbling into his pants, he raced for the bathroom, not noticing the door slamming behind him.

Sam woke up with a jolt as the door slammed. Looking around she saw her clothes scattered around the bed, but no other person was in the room. She pulled her clothes on, trying to recall who she possibly could have ended up in bed with, but the only male she even remembered seeing was Freddie, and she would never sleep with the dork. Laughing at the thought she headed downstairs to find Carly.

Freddie headed back to the bedroom after he had finished throwing up last night's regrets, but Sam was gone. Shit he mumbled. Now he still had to face her. He found her downstairs with Carly. "Freddie." Carly greeted him "Good night last night wasn't it."  
"Ah yeah." Freddie replied non-committedly, looking at Sam. "And what about you."  
"Great." Carly said brightly.  
"Boring." Shrugged Sam.  
"What?" Freddie spluttered.  
"Very average." Sam nodded sagely and walked away. Freddie was confused. Was that her way of saying that she found sex with him boring and didn't want to discuss it. Did they even have sex for that matter? Freddie was pretty sure they did; why else would they be naked? But how was he going to get a chance to talk to Sam about it, when he was leaving to go on holiday tomorrow?

Freddie fretted for three days over what to say to Sam. In the end he had text her "I'm sorry about what happened the other night." To which she had replied "I don't know what you're talking about." Well that settled it, clearly Sam did not want to have anything else to do with him romantically when she wanted to ignore something had even happened.


	2. Chapter 2

**Mama's Secret Chapter 2**

 **Author's Note:** Thank you to those who followed or reviewed. You're awesome and this chapter is dedicated to you. Now onto the chapter.

The darkest hour was here. Carly and Freddie were leaving. Carly was crying, hugging everyone several times and promising to visit regularly and making everyone promise to visit her just as regularly. Freddie meanwhile was fending off his mother who was attempting to give him some last minute advice and lotions. Sam just scowled at the sky that dared to look bright and cheerful on this day of farewells. "Sam." Carly called, breaking Sam out of her thoughts. Sam turned to look at her to see her holding a letter nervously. "I know you hadn't decided what you wanted to do. So I applied to the local culinary school for you, and you got in." Sam stared at her, unsure of what to say. "You always said you wanted to open a restaurant." Carly tried again. Sam nodded and took the letter. "Well I can hardly say no when you went to all that effort." Carly breathed a sigh of relief. "Excellent. Your orientation is next week." With that Carly grabbed some more paper work out of her bag and gave it to a shocked Sam, hugged her brother again and with a final wave started to walk towards her own future. Freddie, having finally finished saying goodbye to his mother gave Sam a quick hug and wished her luck and then he too was gone.

Sam apprehensively looked at the course program when she got home. Her eyes flashed to the length of the course. 2 years! Carly was crazy to think Sam could commit to going back to school for 2 whole years. So of course she texted Carly to tell her so. But Carly was unfortunately one step ahead of her. The reply came swiftly. "I challenge you Samantha, to prove to me and everyone else that you can attend classes for 2 years and get a qualification." Sam narrowed her eyes. Carly followed up with a second text. "Besides, think of all the free food." Sam nodded in approval, she could definitely compromise on this challenge if it meant free food. "Challenge accepted." She wrote back. Puckett's did not back down from a challenge, especially if free food was involved. And while she wouldn't admit it out loud, Carly had probably found the best career option there was for Sam. Sam had always wanted to open her own meat themed resultant after all.

Sam was incredibly nervous. It was orientation day and her first day of her academic career without Carly. "Sam." Her mother called. "I made us eggs and ham for breakfast to celebrate you going somewhere in life."  
"You have such a way with words." Sam replied rolling her eyes and dug in. "What on earth did you put in these?" Sam exclaimed in disgust after taking a bite. "It's making my stomach turn." Being Sam of course she ate it anyway though. Her mother looked confused. "Mine tastes fine." To herself she muttered. "A good deed never goes unpunished." Sam shook her head. "Anyway, I have to go. Carly would kill me if I was late on the first day."

The orientation was daunting. There were food masterpieces on show that Sam felt she would never be able to create, and more kitchen tools than she'd ever be able to surely afford. But Sam had to keep reminding herself that this was for Carly. Especially, after she'd found Carly had also managed to acquire a scholarship for Sam. Who would have thought Sam of all people would be a scholarship kid after all? But what sold Sam was the amount of food present, she could definitely work with that. Although the ever present nausea made that a little harder to believe.

The next morning Sam felt nauseous again and as she thought about the classes she was about to attend and made bacon sandwiches, she found herself running for the bathroom before she threw up last night's dinner. Pam watched her daughter from the shadows of the hallway. Sam's response to her ham the day before and now throwing up was all too familiar to the woman who had done the same thing nearly 20 years prior. Why had she not engaged with Sam a little more? Taught her how not to make the same mistakes she had? Well it was too late for that now, but Pam resolved that she would do everything she could to make sure Sam's mistake didn't hurt her like Pam's had. Stepping into the bathroom, she said quietly, "you know, bacon and ham used to make me nauseous like nothing else when I was pregnant with you girls." Sam looked up and stared at the mother in the mirror. "And?" She demanded harshly. "Well," her mother forged on. "It looks like you have that same morning sickness." Sam cut her mother off. "I'm not pregnant. I just had some bad ham and too many nerves." I'll be fine after class today. "Puckett's have stomachs of steel." Her mother replied. "They don't throw up after nerves or even bad ham." With that Pam walked away, leaving Sam with a lot to contemplate.

Sam kept throwing up every day. She could accept a day or two of throwing up could be caused by bad ham. But nerves alone would not drive her to throwing up, so Sam was starting to have to consider her mother's suggestion. She ran a frustrated hand through her hair, not sure what she should do.

Pam was quietly observing as usual and saw the change in Sam's attitude. She ran to her bedroom to collect the pregnancy tests she'd brought, then returned to the bathroom, where Sam was still thinking. "I know you don't think you're pregnant." Sam started. "But I brought these so we could know for sure." Sam looked at her mother eyes wide. "I'll leave them here," her mother said "and you can open them when you're ready. After all, you're not pregnant, so what is there to fear?" Her mother challenged. Sam just raised an eyebrow in return.

"I can't look." Sam muttered several minutes later. Her mother rubbed her back sympathetically. "I'll look." She said. Sam just nodded. Pam picked up the tests and looked at them. "They say you're pregnant." She told her daughter plainly. Sam let out a strangled sob and all Pam could do was hold her daughter and promise her it would all end up ok.

 **Author's Note:** You all knew it was going to happen, Sam is pregnant. Now the whole Sam is pregnant thing has been done many times, so I'm thinking I'll probably focus on significant events and nothing more. For me, the story is more about how Sam and her mother deal with this and whether or not Carly and Freddie will find out. Sam's mother will possibly be a bit OC in this story, but for this storyline to work I need her to behave in certain ways. Thanks again to those who have supported the story, it really does motivate me to keep writing all my stories.


	3. Chapter 3

**Mama's Secret Ch 3**

 **Author's Note:** This chapter has taken a lot longer than planned due to life getting in the way. Once again thank you to those reading and supporting this story. Now let's get this story moving.

"I regret not being more present." Pam began. "I had you and Melanie at 18 and I wasn't ready or fit to be a mother. Then Melanie got the scholarship and you found Carly and I decided I was better to let those good influences be prevalent in your life than let you be influenced by someone like me who has been nothing but a disaster in life." Sam let out a watery chuckle. "But I was wrong." Pam continued. "If I had been a better parent, perhaps you would have known better." Sam sighed. "I do know better. I got drunk at the graduation party." Sam couldn't control her sobs. "And I lost my virginity to some guy and I don't even know who he is." Pam continued to console her daughter. "As much as I'd love to yell at you right now, that won't do either of us any good and I'm certainly not going to throw you out like my mother did me. I am going to be here and support you." Pam gave her a wicked grin. "For once you might be begging me to stop being such a good mother." Sam rolled her eyes. "Just don't start acting like Crazy." Pam laughed. "Never. Believe me, I don't want to give either of us a tick bath." With that, both Puckett women dissolved into giggles.

"Now." Said Pam, startling Sam. "We need to book you a doctor's appointment and figure out who your baby's daddy is." Sam groaned. "I don't know who he is, I don't remember even meeting some guy." Pam persisted. "What do you remember?" Sam thought about it. "I arrived at the party with Carly, but she soon left to go talk about her big bright future with all the nubs. I just sorta kicked around for a bit, had a drink then I saw the nub looking out of place so I went over to tease him." Sam looked thoughtful. "I think I dared him to stop being such a pansy and take some shots. Then the last thing I remember is ditching Benson and going to the bathroom." Pam supressed a smile. "If Freddie is the only person you remember, is it possible you ended up with him?" Sam looked outraged. "I have standards. Besides a goody two shoes like him would never sleep with some girl and knock her up." Pam tried again. "But he does always get rather competitive with you, so perhaps he doesn't remember either. You could ask him." Pam suggested. "Like hell." Sam scoffed. "Besides, even if by some freak chance it was him, he's getting some fancy degree and has his whole future in front of him. I think I've already ruined his life enough without giving him a baby. Not that it's him anyway." Sam added. But Sam was no longer as certain of that. Because she had this sinking feeling they had kissed that night. And they always say that one thing can lead to another.

"Mom." Sam said hesitantly. "Do you even think I should keep this baby? I mean there are other options. And you said it yourself, having kids young screwed up your life" Pam regarded her daughter seriously. "I would hope you would never want to kill a living thing inside you. And if you're thinking about adoption, I'll adopt your baby." Sam looked at her mother in disbelief. "You?" Pam nodded. "Yes. I'll claim to be the baby's mother. It's my chance to get motherhood right. And then you could be the big sister who gets a career and you still get to see your child grow up." Sam laughed. "It's a crazy idea Mom. I'm better to adopt this baby out and then never drink or have sex again." Pam shook her head. "It's a great idea. You will grow to love that baby and you won't want to give it up. This way you have options." Pam's voice softened. "There's still hope for you Sammy and I feel like I need a chance at redemption." Sam breathed deeply. "Ok." What Pam didn't say, was that she had a feeling that the baby would end up looking a little similar to one Freddie Benson and even if Sam didn't know it yet, Pam knew she'd never be able to give that baby up. This way Sam wouldn't feel like she had to.

Life continued on as normal. Sam went to classes each day, and began to learn to make dishes that made her want to weep with happiness. She even made a friend in a slightly older lady called Sheryl. Sheryl reminded Sam of the Puckett's. She was tough, loved meat and had a great sense of humour. Then at nights Sam would chat with Carly as Carly told her all about her exciting new life and Sam avoided talking about the changes that were occurring in hers. Sometimes she could even forget for a few minutes she was pregnant. But that blissful oblivion was not to last.

"Hurry up Sam." Pam yelled up the stairs. "Your doctor's appointment is in half an hour."  
"Coming." Sam yelled back, thumping down the stairs. Sam was dreading her first doctor's appointment. Going to the doctor was always bad enough in her opinion, but today going would make her pregnancy all that more real.  
"I booked your appointment with your usual doctor." Pam told Sam as they got in the car. "I figured you'd be more likely to behave with someone you're comfortable with."  
"Define comfortable." Sam muttered. But her mother's glare discouraged her from saying anymore.

All too soon Sam found herself seated in the doctor's office with the doctor poking and prodding and asking her to pee in a cup. Did they not know how invasive that was?  
"Well Sam." The doctor said after she had finished her assessment. "I can confirm that you are indeed pregnant." Sam nodded tightly. She already knew that. "Now we need to talk about your options." Sam nodded again. "I'm having the baby." She said quietly. "And then when it's born Mom will probably take the baby on as her child, but I can also…" Sam faded out and Pam continued. "It gives her the opportunity to decide to keep her baby if she wants and we'll probably end up raising the baby together." The doctor raised her eyebrows. "An interesting plan." Pam frowned. "I've been there, so I'm just being a good mother and doing what's best for Sam and her child." The doctor smiled. "I'm not saying it's a bad plan Mrs Puckett, I'm sure more young teen Mom's wished they had a Mom like you. It just sounds like you're going to be taking a lot on. It wasn't your fault Sam got pregnant you know" Pam shrugged. She wasn't going to tell the doctor that in her opinion it kinda was. If she'd paid to put Sam on birth control and taught Sam how to learn from her mistakes, the perhaps Sam wouldn't be pregnant. She zoned back into the conversation to find the doctor telling a rather pale looking Sam what to expect throughout her pregnancy, what vitamins she'd need to take and things she couldn't do anymore. Sam just nodded mutely and once the doctor finished, she took her prenatal prescription and headed for the door. In her daze, she didn't notice one of the nurses walking past and crashed straight into her, resulting in both of the falling to the floor. "Sorry." Sam gasped as she hurried to pick herself up off the floor and collect her things. "Thanks." She muttered as the lady handed her back her prescription. Then her eyes widened as she saw exactly who she'd crashed into. "Hey Mrs Benson." Sam said weakly.

 **Author's Note:** So now that Pam's idea has been revealed I can share the original idea that inspired this story, which was that Freddie came home from college and plans to spend time with Sam but she's always busy babysitting. So he goes to visit her at her house to discover she has a baby sibling (guess which gender) who looks a lot like he did as a baby. So for now I'm working backwards to create some context and then later on will come Freddie's adventures.


	4. Chapter 4

**Mama's Secret Chapter 4**

 **Author's Note:** Some interesting responses to the last chapter. All I will say is I think you'll all be relatively happy with the outcome. Once again thank you to those who read and support this story. This chapter will mostly focus on the people who find out about Sam's pregnancy and allow us to progress the story through her pregnancy quickly. I have never been pregnant myself, but I know a couple of people who had really tiny baby bumps the whole way through and I felt it would work for Sam if that was her experience. I haven't really explored the emotional angle of Sam's pregnancy because I mostly want to move forward with the story and don't want the pregnancy to be the focus. But I may come back and rewrite this once I've finished the story. As usual, I hope you enjoy.

"Samantha." Marissa Benson greeted in surprise. Then she put two and two together. "Your pregnant?" Sam wasn't sure what she should do, should she lie her way out of the situation or face the inevitable. "Of course not." Sam laughed. But her pause had been enough to tell Marissa that the opposite was true. "I wasn't born yesterday Samantha." Marissa said. But before she could say anything else Pam and the doctor entered the hallway.

"Ah Sam." The doctor said. "I see you met the nurse I was telling you about." Sam shook her head. "Not gonna happen doc. No way am I letting Crazy be my midwife." Ignoring the exclamations of "Sam!" Sam tossed her head definitely. Then looking at Marissa she said "And you cannot tell anyone about this. If you try you won't like the consequences…" Sam trailed of threateningly. Marissa raised her eyebrow. "And why shouldn't I tell my son about you?" Sam smirked. "Because being the good friend he is, him and Carly would probably come back to Seattle with some ridiculous notion of helping me raise this baby. And neither you nor I are going to let them throw away their education are we?" Marissa nodded. "Alright I won't tell him." Internally she added "for now." Sam nodded. "Good. Because I'm probably not keeping the baby, so there's no need for them to know." Mrs Benson exchanged a sad glance with Pam and nodded to Sam and the Doctor. "Well I best get back to work." She said and swiftly walked away. "Come on." Pam said to Sam and started leading her back to the car.

Time went on and Sam managed to keep her secret. She also managed to acquire a new minder in the form of Marissa Benson. "I've got a vegetable frittata." Marissa called to announce herself as she made her weekly visit to the Puckett household. "How are you Marissa." Pam greeted her and put the frittata in the fridge. Before yelling up the stairs for Sam. Sam grumpily came down the stairs soon after. "Hello Samantha." Mrs Benson greeted cheerfully. "Still able to hide that bump?" That was something that everyone had been grateful for. Sam was nearing her fifth month and only had a very small bump, that was easy to hide under loose clothing. "Yes she is." Pam answered Marissa's question. "And you're sure that's nothing to be worried about." Marissa smiled reassuringly. "Nothing to worry about at all. Samantha is just one of the fortunate few. But she could grow plenty before she hits 9 months." Sam shuddered slightly. Although she wasn't a vain girl, the idea of looking like a whale horrified her just a little bit.

It wasn't until she was 6 months pregnant that people began to notice. Her friend Sheryl from her classes cornered her one day after class. "Sam?" Sheryl asked quietly as Sam was packing away the last of her gear. "What's up?" Sam replied. Sheryl hesitated. "Can I ask you a personal question?" Sam shrugged, attempting to look calm on the outside even though the question had made her stomach twist into knots. Sheryl took a deep breath. "Are you pregnant?" Sam glared. "What's it to you?" She demanded. "I'm your friend and I'm here to support you." Sheryl replied calmly. "And I have a couple of babies at home myself, so I'm here if you need someone to talk to." Sam slowly turned to look a Sheryl. "Thank you, but I don't need your help." She said and walked away.

Sheryl was persistent. The next day she forced Sam to engage in a conversation about the progress of her pregnancy. "So how far along are you." Sheryl asked casually. "6 months." Sam grunted. Keeping her gaze on the sauce she was creating. "Lucky bitch." Sheryl gasped. "I was massive by then." Sam chuckled awkwardly. But looking at the sincerity in Sheryl's eyes, she knew she'd found someone else who was in her corner.

The enormity of the situation didn't really hit Sam until they started decorating the baby's room. As they put together a cot and brought tiny little clothes. It really hit Sam that she was soon to become a mother and that every conversation they had about this baby wasn't just some theoretical plan, it was really going to happen. And it was going to happen soon. Sam swiped angrily at the tears she felt falling as she looked around the room. She was terrified. She was soon to go through the most painful experience of her life with a no doubt awful labour, then there would be this child in her life who would be there for the rest of her life. Because even if she let her mother take on the parental responsibilities. She was still going to have to look into that little face every day and live with the guilt and lies. Sam wondered for a fleeting moment if the baby would look like her or it's father. Sam hoped it looked like her. While she didn't know for certain who the father was. If it was who she feared it was, she didn't want her baby's face to confirm it. Her baby. Sam put a tentative hand on her stomach as the phrase rolled around in her head. Her baby. A gentle nudge pushed back against her hand. And Sam knew that all her denial had come to an end. It was time to face up to the fact that she was going to be somebody's mother.


	5. Chapter 5

**Mama's Secret Chapter 5**

 **Author's Note:** I raced through this chapter somewhat so we could get to the end of Sam's pregnancy and move onto finding out the baby is Freddie's. So next chapter Freddie will come back into the story and secrets will start to unravel. Once again, thank you to those of you who read, review, favourite and follow this story.

Pam Puckett and Marissa Benson had formed an unusual friendship over the past few months. For a woman who Pam had considered neurotic, crazy and hygienically obsessive, somehow she had also become someone who Pam found sympathetic and understanding. But that Pam felt may change with where their current conversation was leading. "I was thinking," Marissa had started, "that we should try and find the father of Samantha's baby." Pam groaned internally. "I don't think that is a good idea." Pam said quietly. "Of course it is a good idea." Marissa disagreed hotly. "He has the right to know and perhaps Samantha would stop being so indifferent if she started to feel like she was going to raise a real family. Not just having a mother and daughter raise a child together." Pam glared at Marissa. "What my daughter and I are doing is what is right for us." Then she got angry. "And if the father is who I think it is, you wouldn't be encouraging Sam to tell him. You'd be trying to keep her from him." Marissa looked confused. "I don't quite understand what you mean. I wouldn't keep Samantha from telling the boy, I'd encourage it." Pam snorted. "Even if it was your own son?" Marissa gasped. "No, you don't think Freddie is the father do you?" Pam laughed coldly. "What? Don't believe your perfect little son could get himself in such a mess?" "No." Marissa snapped. "I don't think he would." Pam couldn't help herself. In her anger she spat out. "Well he's the last person Sam remembers and they were drinking a lot. So it's possible your precious little boy is the father." Marissa shook her head. "Freddie wouldn't do that, he knows better." "So does Sam." Pam shot back, but here we are. "People with a lot of alcohol in them don't think and they do stupid things without thinking of the consequences." Marissa shook her head. "It's not Freddie's." She said firmly and walked away. Pam rolled her eyes. Why was everyone so determined this baby wasn't Freddie's?

Sam's back had been twinging all day irritating the hell out of her. "Just another joyful side effect of pregnancy." She grumbled to herself as she sat down to rest her swollen ankles. Just as she sat down she felt a wet sensation coming from her lower body. "Ah shit." She gasped then she started to panic as she realised what it meant. "Mom!" She screamed, looking wildly around. At 8 months and 2 weeks, Sam Puckett's water had broken and she was terrified.

Several hours later a tiny bundle was put in her arms as she lay recovering on a hospital bed. A little boy with a tiny tuft of brown hair looked up her with sleepy eyes from his blanket cocoon. Sam let out a little sob as she looked at her baby for the first time. The little baby that would change her world. The little baby that looked nothing like her. "What are you going to name him?" Pam asked. Sam looked unsure. "What do you think?" She asked her mother. "It's up to you." Pam replied. Sam looked at the little boy thoughtfully. He looks like a Dylan. Dylan Puckett."

Pam and Marissa exchanged a look over Sam's head. Their differences put aside for now. "Well." Said Marissa, attempting to be semi-professional. "I should go take this little man for a full check-up." Sam reluctantly let him go. "I'll bring him back soon." Marissa promised her. "And I need some coffee." Pam said. "So I'll let you have a little rest." With that Pam followed Marissa out of the room. She followed Marissa and watched at the door as Marissa gave the little boy a full check-up, then she watched as Marissa took a sample from both of them and ran a DNA test, then cuddled the little boy close as she read the results. "So what's the verdict?" Pam asked softly. Marissa jumped guiltily at being caught. Swallowing, she said. "It looks like we both might have a grandson." Handing the baby to Pam, Marissa marched out the room with Pam racing behind her. "Why didn't you tell me that you were carrying Freddie's child?" Marissa roared as she entered Sam's room. Sam looked at her shocked and bewildered. "I what?" Pam intervened. "Marissa here just did a test and found her and Dylan are related." "What." Sam choked. Pam smiled grimly. "Looks like you've found your baby daddy." "But we'll have to do a paternity test with him to be sure." Marissa interrupted. "We can't tell him." Sam objected. "I can't let him give up his life like that." Sam was fading, so Marissa and Pam put the discussion to rest and resolved to bring it up again later.

But Sam would not be convinced. No matter how many times Pam or Marissa discussed, argued and pleaded with her. She would not change her mind. As far as she was concerned, to the rest of the world, Dylan could be Pam's son and everyone would be better off for it. But Pam and Marissa weren't about to give up.


	6. Chapter 6

**Mama's Secret Ch 6**

 **Author's Note:** Once again thank you to everyone who reads this story. As usual the first half got written then a week passed before I had time to look at it again. But hopefully you'll all like this chapter, and I am excited for what I've got planned for Freddie in the next chapter. But on with the story.

Freddie Benson was excited to be home for the holidays. He'd never been away from home for so long. And while he had loved his first year of college, he was looking forward to spending some time in Seattle with his mother and catching up with Carly, Sam and Gibby.

But both his mother and Sam were behaving rather oddly. His mother seemed to always be busy with work and Sam always seemed to be babysitting her new baby brother. "Why don't you go visit Sam while I'm at the hospital." His mother had suggested when he had voiced these thoughts to her. "Then you and I can have a nice home cooked meal together when you get home." Freddie thought it over then rang Carly. Carly jumped at the idea and an hour later they were on their way to Sam's house, Carly bouncing in her seat as she directed Freddie on where to go.

But Sam's reception was less than welcoming. "What are you doing here?" She demanded as they stood at the door with silly grins on their faces. Inside a baby was wailing. At the sound Carly had rushed inside a scooped up the baby before Sam could even react. "What's this precious little boy's name?" Carly cooed as she rocked the infant. "Dylan." Sam answered stiffly. "What's upsetting you baby Dylan?" Carly cooed at the infant, whose cries were beginning to cease as Carly rocked him. "You woke him when you rang the doorbell." Sam answered. "Opps, sorry." Carly replied sheepishly. Making herself at home on the couch Carly said "so now that we're here what do you want to do: watch a movie, go for a smoothie…". Carly trailed off. "I need to stay here and watch Dylan." Sam said. "We'll bring him with us." Carly replied instantly. "Come on Sam, it will do you good to get out the house." Freddie added, speaking for the first time since they'd arrived. "I haven't really left the house with him before." Sam tried. But Carly wouldn't be deterred. "I'll throw a baby bag together and you can go get changed." Sam looked down at her old t-shirt and track pants that had baby spit up and other unidentifiable substances splattered on them. "Fine." Sam grumbled. "But you're changing him as well." Carly shrugged. "If that's what it takes to hang out with my best friend." Sam smiled at her fleetingly then left the room.

"Take Dylan." Carly ordered Freddie as she began racing around the room throwing things into a bag. Freddie stared down at the baby, who opened his eyes sleepily and seemed to stare back. Sam's behaviour regarding Dylan was not anything like Freddie had expected and it made him curious. The afore mentioned baby let out a yawn and snuggled into Freddie's chest and Freddie felt something in his heart melt. But he couldn't shake the feeling there was something he was missing.

"Ready." Sam called as she walked down the stairs. She froze as she saw Freddie holding Dylan in his arms. "That is so cute." Carly quietly squealed, coming up behind her, pulling out her phone to take a photo of the two boys. Secretly, Sam agreed it was a cute sight and it made her feel slightly guilty for not telling Freddie. But she squashed that thought down and instead snatched Dylan from Freddie.

The conversation flowed well between the three friends. Carly and Freddie talked enthusiastically about their courses, parties and living away from home. Sam could even see how they had grown and matured in the last year. But the conversation turned awkward as Carly asked Sam about her year and how she was doing at culinary school. Sam shrugged it off with a quick "fine". But Carly kept pushing. "You should come to our apartment sometime as show off your fancy skills." Carly suggested. "And Spencer would love to see you. He said he hasn't seen you while we've been gone." Sam shrugged again. "Actually doing school work for once has been keeping me busy." Freddie laughed and asked her what she'd learnt to make. Just then Dylan started to cry. Sam picked him up and tried to soothe him. Then she held him up to her face and sniffed. "This one needs a clean diaper." She said with a grimace. "I'll do it." Carly said. "It was part of the deal to get you out the house." Sam handed Dylan over happily and Carly left to change him. This left Sam and Freddie sitting in silence. "I really did miss you Sam." Freddie said. Sam smiled lightly. "I missed you once or twice too Fredlame." Freddie rolled his eyes. "I bet you missed me most when you're Mum made you change Dylan's diaper." Sam grinned at him. "Maybe." Carly arrived back then, preventing the conversation from continuing into dangerous waters that Sam didn't want to acknowledge. "All changed." Carly said brightly. "But this little man is getting grumpy and ready for a nap I think." Sam nodded. "I better get him home then."

On their way home Freddie asked Carly if she'd noticed anything odd about Sam. Carly thought about it briefly. "Not really." She said. "Other than her willingness to look after Dylan without making us do everything." But Freddie couldn't shake the feeling there was something more to it.

He walked in the door of his mother's apartment to find that she her taking a roast out the oven and photo albums scattered over the dining room table. "I thought we could reminisce and spend some time looking at old photos while we eat." His mother said. "Remember all the memories before you grew up and left the nest." She added dramatically. Freddie rolled his eyes and looked at the framed baby photo sitting next to his plate. "Mom." He said with a tone of confusion. "Why do you have a photo of Dylan?" His mother looked up quickly. "Dylan Puckett? I don't." Freddie held up the photo to prove his point. His mother laughed. "That's you Freddibear." She said. Smirking inwardly as Freddie turned a few shades paler. It couldn't be. Could it?


	7. Chapter 7

**Mama's Secret Ch 7**

 **Author's Note:** This is the chapter I've been waiting for; where my story idea actually started, so it's exciting to reach the point finally. Enjoy

Freddie's mind was a jumble. He ate his dinner in silence as his mother nattered on about all the cute things he had done as a child. The photo beside his plate seemed to glare up at him. He couldn't understand how this child of Pam's looked identical to him as a baby. Heck if he didn't know who Dylan was, he'd think it was his brother…or his son. Freddie's father was dead, so it wasn't like he could have impregnated Pam. But Freddie had slept with Sam and what if the child was really Sam's? But they had used protection hadn't they? Freddie suddenly felt sick as he realised he couldn't remember. But why would Sam lie about having a child? Maybe his Dad had a brother. He'd have to ask his mother. "Mom." He cut her off. "Does Dad have any family?" Marissa looked at him in shock. "No it was just him and his parents." Freddie tried again. "And they're all dead?" Now Marissa was really confused. "Yes dear, we went to all their funerals." She said gently. "Why are you asking?" Freddie was conflicted. Could he really tell his mother this? But he had to tell someone. Casually he said "Just wondered if Dylan was related to us somehow since we look similar." Marissa laughed. "All babies look similar. But unless you got Sam pregnant I don't see how Dylan would be related. Not that I would love you any less if you did." Marissa added hastily. Freddie regarded her suspiciously. "Are you saying that Dylan is Sam's baby?" Marissa mentally slapped herself. How could she have been so stupid? She tried to backtrack. "I'm not saying that. I don't know which Puckett is Dylan's mother, but I would have thought Pam was past the childbearing age, personally. But I could be completely wrong; women's bodies can do amazing things after all." Freddie shuddered at the image that brought to mind. "Sam said Dylan is her brother." Freddie said firmly and tried to steer his mother onto a different topic, thought his own thoughts we still very much focused on Dylan.

The next morning, he headed down to the shops. He couldn't tell Carly that he suspected Pam's baby was really Sam's baby, and he needed to find out the truth, so he was going to buy some surveillance equipment. After all, when in doubt, turn to technology was his motto. After buying a couple of very discrete cameras, Freddie headed back home back home to collect Carly, or as he had dubbed her in his mind 'The Distraction'.

At Sam's, Freddie began to casually enquire about where Pam was, how Sam had coped living with her pregnant mother, how old Dylan was and so forth. After a while he offered to watch Dylan while the girls went to the Groovy Smoothie, so they could have some girly time. As soon as he was sure they were gone, Freddie scooped up Dylan and got to work installing the cameras. One in the living room and one in Dylan's room. Which Freddie noted was also Sam's bedroom. As he was walking down the stairs Pam walked in, looking at him suspiciously. "What are you doing upstairs?" Freddie replied quickly. "Looking for Dylan's stuff. I think he will need changing soon." Pam held her arms for Dylan and sniffed him. "He's fine." She said. "Where's Sam?" Freddie smiled. This he could answer honestly. "I sent them to pick up some smoothies, so they could have some girly time." Pam still looked a little suspicious. "That was awfully nice of you." Freddie shrugged. "Meant I didn't have to listen to them." He said. Quite pleased with his answer. At that moment Sam walked in. "What did you tell him?" Sam demanded when she saw her mother in a serious conversation with Freddie. "Nothing." Her mother said defensively. "I was just questioning him as to why he was here and why you weren't." Sam also got defensive. "He was just giving me a little break." Her mother laughed. "I know. And you're very lucky to have him." She added as she dumped Dylan in Freddie's arms. Freddie looked down at the wide eyed little boy who was quietly sucking his thumb. "Good luck kid." He murmured and placed a kiss on the baby's forehead before he realised what he was doing. Carly aww'ed then held her arms out for Dylan. Freddie handed him over and tried to push his feelings to the side. Tonight he would watch the camera recordings and get some answers.

Marissa waited until she knew Freddie was home before she headed over to the Puckett's. "How's my grandson?" She cooed as she held Dylan. "I wish you wouldn't call him that." Sam grumbled. "One day you might say it in public if you're not careful." Marissa waved her off. "He is my grandson." Sam corrected her. "You think he's your grandson. And I'd rather we didn't find out." Pam spoke up. "Freddie's getting suspicious. "I caught his coming out of your bedroom earlier." Sam immediately flew into a rage. "What was he doing in my bedroom?" Pam replied. "He said he was looking for things to change Dylan. But I'm not sure I believe him. Dylan looked like he'd not long been changed. And it just felt like there was something else going on." Both older women shared a look. "You can't keep this from him forever."

On his computer, Freddie stared at the screen in shock. Not only was Dylan Sam's child. It appeared they all knew about it, his mother included. His own mother thought he had fathered a child and hadn't told him. No one had. He rang Carly, his eyes still furiously watching the screen. "Did you know Dylan was Sam's baby?" He asked harshly the moment she answered. "No. How on earth did you come up with that idea?" Carly said after a moment. "Never mind." Freddie muttered and hung up. He would tackle Sam tomorrow once he'd had some time to figure things out. But his mother was due home soon and he wanted answers.

Marissa hummed as she entered the apartment, no idea that a shitstorm was about to hit. "How could you not tell me?" Freddie's cold voice brought Marissa abruptly back to reality. "What on earth are you on about Freddiebear?" She asked nervously. Surely Sam would have mentioned if Freddie had found out about Dylan. "How could my own mother not tell me that she's pretty sure that I fathered a child." Marissa froze. So he knew. "It wasn't my place to tell you." She said. "It was Sam's, and she was determined that she'd only ruin your life if she told you, so she didn't. All I could do was drop a few little hints and hope you'd confronted Sam and she'd tell you the truth. I'm surprised she cracked though." Freddie laughed darkly. "She didn't." Marissa looked confused. "Then how did you find out?" Freddie's face grew darker. "I had to install surveillance equipment in Sam's house to find out the truth, because no one could be honest with me. Who knows about Dylan anyway?" Freddie spat. His mother attempted to rub his arm sympathetically, but he shrugged her off. "Just Pam, Sam and I." His mother answered quietly. "I ran a DNA test on Dylan and found that I was related to him. Freddie gasped as it suddenly hit him. "I'm a father." He said stunned. This time he didn't shake his mother off as she held him close.

Freddie spent the rest of the night watching his son through the cameras. He felt his body stir as he watched Sam breast feed Dylan. Not only did he enjoy checking out Sam's boob, it was also truly proof that Sam was Dylan's mother. God, they were parents. Tomorrow he would confront Sam and finally find out what is going on.

Carly was freaking out. First Freddie rang her and claims Sam is Dylan's mother, now neither Sam nor Freddie were answering their phones. She didn't want to text Sam to ask if she'd had a baby, that just didn't seem right. And she'd go over and wring the story out of Freddie if she wasn't just slightly afraid of Crazy. Tomorrow. She promised herself. Tomorrow she'd get answers.

"Sam!" Freddie was pounding on Sam's door early the next morning. "Sam. Open the bloody door right now." Freddie yelled. Pam opened the door in her dressing gown holding a baseball bat. "Ah Freddie." She sighed in relief as she saw who it was pounding on her door. "What are you doing here?" Freddie ignored her and stormed into the house. "Sam, get out here now." Sam emerged scowling with a screaming infant. Her mother immediately took Dylan while Sam rounded on Freddie. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" She demanded. Freddie laughed darkly. "What I am doing? More like what the hell have you been doing? Did you really think you could keep the fact that you're Dylan's mother a secret? Or that I'm Dylan's father" Sam paled. "Marissa promised not to tell you since I didn't know for sure that you were Dylan's father." Freddie shook his head. "She didn't and what do you mean?" Sam flushed. "I don't remember who I had sex with, I just woke up naked in a bed after the graduation party. But your mother and my mother are convinced it's you since according to a DNA test or something, Dylan is related to your mother." Freddie ran an agitated hand through his hair. "I'll take a paternity test then. But Sam I can promise you we most likely slept together at that party. I woke up beside you, left because I had to throw up and when I came back you were gone." Freddie chuckled sadly. "I thought you were ignoring what happened because you regretted it, not because you didn't remember." Freddie paused. "Do you like me back?". Sam hesitated. "I did, but I've got Dylan to think of now." Freddie's shoulders dropped slightly. "I think it would be good for Dylan to have parents that are together." Freddie argued. "You don't even know you're Dylan's father." Sam objected. "Yes I do." Freddie fired back. "Fine, let's go find out." Sam snapped.

After Freddie had called his mother to organise the test for him he saw all the missed calls from Carly. Wincing, he recalled his erratic call to Carly the night before. Groaning, he turned to Sam. "You haven't told Carly have you?" Sam shook her head. "Damn." Freddie growled. "I thought you had so I interrogated her about you last night and now I've got 15 missed calls." Sam wanted to hit Freddie, but she restrained herself. "Tell her it was a nightmare." Freddie shrugged. "Worth a shot."

Carly jumped as she heard her phone ding. Reading Freddie's text, she raised a sceptical eyebrow. Freddie hadn't seemed like he was dreaming last night. She'd just have to watch him and Sam very closely.


	8. Chapter 8

**Mama's Secret Chapter 8**

 **Author's Note:** Another chapter. I'm not really sure where the story is going now so I guess we'll all find out eventually. I'm thinking I'll try and write a Christmas themed chapter next before Christmas. Feel free to let me know what you think and if there is a direction you want to see the story go. And as always thank you to those of you who read, review, favourite and follow. You are the reason I keep writing chapters.

Freddie had been pacing a hole in the floor since his mother had left for work that morning. He knew she'd most likely get the DNA test results back today, and although he was certain he was Dylan's father he was anxious to have it confirmed and nervous about how Sam would take the news.

Sam glared at him from the couch where she was holding Dylan. "Must you pace, it's upsetting Dylan." Freddie looked pointedly at the sleeping boy. "Upsetting Dylan or his mother?" Sam huffed in response. Just then Freddie's phone chimed, causing both of them to jump. Freddie reached for his phone apprehensively while Sam's shoulder's stiffened. Sure enough it was his mother, the test results had come back saying Freddie was Dylan's biological father.

Freddie and Sam stared at each other silently. "Say something." Freddie snapped, breaking the silence. Sam glared at him. "I'm still processing." She snapped back. Freddie ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "You knew this would happen Sam." He pointed out. "You've known for a long time I was Dylan's father. You just didn't want to admit it. Why?" Sam looked down at her hands. "I didn't want to mess your life up. You'd managed to get into a really good program and had a great future ahead of you. I didn't want to be what screwed that up for you." Freddie shook his head. "You haven't, I'll still be able to get the job I want whether I go to MIT or a university here in Seattle." Sam looked at him sternly. "You are going back to MIT. You are going to graduate from MIT." "What if I don't want to?" Freddie fired back. "You do." Sam replied. "You want to go back, but you're determined to do the noble thing and be here for me and Dylan." Freddie shrugged in agreement. "What if you came back with me?" He asked suddenly. "What about culinary school?" Sam pointed out. "You could transfer to a different school." Freddie agued. "And who will look after Dylan while we're both studying? And how will we get the money to live." "We'll get jobs and a babysitter." Freddie suggested. "We'll have no money left after we've paid the babysitter." Sam argued. Marissa conveniently arrived home at this point. "I'll move as well and I can babysit Dylan during the day and probably get a part time night shift job at the hospital." She said, seeing an opportunity to get to have both her son and her grandson nearby. Freddie immediately started to protest to his mother's presence in Massachusetts, but Sam looked defeated. "It may be the only way."

But Marissa wasn't done. "And what about you two?" She asked gesturing between them. "We haven't discussed it yet." Freddie answered wearily. Marissa nodded sharply. No time like the present then." And grabbing Dylan she shooed them both out the room. They ended up on the fire escape. "Where it all began." Freddie said softly. Sam found herself smiling. Freddie decided to start, he needed to air his feelings before Sam said something to stop him. "Look Sam." He ran a hand through his hair awkwardly. "If things had been different after that party, I would have asked you out. I liked you and I still do. I want to be Dylan's dad and your partner, and I know you won't want that, but I hope someday soon you will." Sam nodded slowly. "Well it can't hurt to give it a try I guess." Freddie rolled his eyes. "You guess." Sam gave him a cheeky grin in return.

Sam relayed the conversation to her mother that evening. "You could have asked me to come with you." She said, offended. Sam looked surprised. "You've already done so much for me; don't you want your old life back." Pam shrugged. "Sometimes. But I love my grandson more." Sam smiled. "Well we'll visit so much you will be glad to get rid of us." Mother and daughter sat in silence contemplating for a moment, then Sam groaned as a thought occurred to her. "I've got to tell Carly." Pam laughed lightly. "Good luck."

The next morning Sam and Freddie stood at Carly's door after dropping their son off across the hallway with his grandmother. "Ready?" Sam asked Freddie who was looking a tad green. "No. You?" Sam rolled her eyes. "Of course not." She said as she pushed open the door.

The silence was deafening. They had told Carly, (and Spencer as well since he'd be home) and now the siblings were looking at the gobsmacked. "Your parents." Spencer finally managed to say. Carly looked angry. "And you" she pointed at Sam angrily "never once told me that you were pregnant." A tear ran down her cheek. "I thought we were best friends." "We are." Sam said confused. Carly's face turned red. "Then why the hell did you want to keep a major part of your life from me?" She yelled. "Sam looked down at her shoes. "I didn't want you to ditch your study and come home. You guys deserved to be there." "Oh Sam." Carly said as she understood everything Sam wasn't saying and just like that Sam was forgiven and the two friends were hugging.

"So what about you two?" Carly asked after she let Sam go. Freddie grabbed Sam's hand in his own. "We'll give it a try and just figure it out step by step. Sam and Dylan are going to move to Massachusetts and Sam and I will take our relationship as it comes" Sam wrinkled her nose in agreement. Carly looked stunned. "I always knew you guys would get together, but I didn't think it would need a baby together to make it happen." "What do you mean you always knew?" Sam immediately demanded. Carly gave a mischievous grin. "It was obviously you two had the hots for each other." Sam groaned and buried her head in her hands while Freddie just laughed.

"It's kind of exciting to think of you guys setting up house together with a baby." Carly said as they were out shopping that afternoon. Aunty Carly as she had now dubbed herself wanted to treat her friends and their son to a shopping spree before they moved to their new home. Freddie and Sam just smiled and let her keep chattering away. "Ooooh a furniture store. You'll need some things there." Carly said and skipped in, Sam and Freddie following reluctantly behind with the 5 bags of baby clothes Carly had already accumulated. Then Carly saw the beds. "That bed over there look nice." She said. "Very cushy and lots of room for both of you." She added cheekily. Sam sighed. "Carly we've only just got together; I don't think we're going to share a bed. "Depends on what size apartment you live in." Carly pointed out. "How big is your apartment?" Sam demanded, looking at Freddie. "The one I had was one bedroom." He said looking alarmed, but Mom's looking for a 4-bedroom house for us. Sam looked relieved. She was not ready to share a bed with the boy who knocked her up. "It's only a matter of time." Carly said knowingly as she left the store.


	9. Chapter 9

**Mama's Secret Chapter 9**

 **Author's Note:** So the Christmas chapter is going to hold fire for a bit. It fits in better a little later in the story. This chapter explores Sam and Freddie's new living arrangement and some of the issues and adventures this causes. So enjoy, read, review, follow and favorite

Sam was slowly settling into her new life. She had known that moving in with Freddie and his mother would have its awkward moments, but it hadn't been as bad as she feared. Marissa had found the house they were renting and organized the entire move. All Sam and Freddie had to do was pack their bags. Marissa had picked a 4-bedroom house, which allowed them all to have their own rooms, although Sam hadn't actually moved Dylan from her own room yet. Marissa also kept reminding them that one day Sam might need to fit Freddie into her bedroom, so Dylan couldn't sleep in Sam's room forever. Sam had also laid out firm rules around Marissa's obsessive hygiene; no one was going to be taking tick baths or saying stupid rhymes to do with health and safety. Though she had admittedly given up on a lot of that since Freddie had moved out, but Sam wasn't risking Marissa treating Dylan like she had Freddie.

Sam and Freddie had also had to deal with the consequences of Carly's Splashpage. Sam hadn't posted any pictures of Dylan on her Splashpage since she hadn't wanted Freddie or Carly to find out about him. But once Carly had found out, she had got Splashpage happy, posting several albums of Dylan with Sam and Freddie. As a result, everyone now knew about Dylan and Freddie's friends from MIT were now keen to meet Sam and Dylan. Something that Sam was very nervous about that say as she sat in a café near the university bouncing Dylan on her knee, waiting for Freddie's class to finish.

"Everyone, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend Sam and our son Dylan". Freddie said as he reached Sam, giving her a peck on the lips as he took their son. "I'm Brody." The boy with glasses introduced himself. "I'm Tina." Said the girl next to him with mermaid hair. "And I'm Sarah." Said the final girl coldly, giving Sam a look that could freeze ice. Freddie grinned as he watched his friends interact with, well, his family. Sam was not enjoying herself so much. After grilling her on her life story, they had fallen into a conversation with so much techno-babble that Sam was no longer sure they were speaking English, and the girl Sarah seemed to be trying to insult her as many ways possible "so Freddie said you're doing a LITTLE course as well Samantha." Or "so how does it feel to be the iCarly girl that got knocked up by the iCarly boy." Or her personal favorite "he doesn't really look like Freddie does he?" Her son was a carbon copy of his father thank you very much. When Sarah left for a bathroom break (after flipping her hair and winking flirtatiously at Freddie), Tina lent in and said "ignore Sarah, she's just sore because Freddie is pretty much the only guy who is not interested in her." Sam raised an eyebrow. "Well that's good considering he's got a son and a girlfriend." Tina chuckled. "He wasn't interested in Sarah well before that. Last year you were pretty much his favorite topic of conversation. This year he's just added Dylan to that list." Sam glanced at Freddie and blushed.

"So what did you think of my friends?" Freddie asked later that night, as he and Sam lay curled up on the couch. "Brody and Tina seemed really nice." She said honestly. Freddie chuckled, "Yeah, I'm not a Sarah fan either. She's friends with Brody and he invites her to everything because he has a massive crush on her." Sam whistled lowly. "Good luck Brody."

Freddie entered Sam's bedroom one night after class to find her breast feeding Dylan. "How come you bottle feed him as well?" He asked, causing Sam to jump. "Get out." She snapped. Freddie stood his ground. "Why should I?" Sam gestured to herself. "Because I'm slightly naked." Freddie grinned. "Only slightly. Besides, there's no reason to be modest around me, I've seen it all before." Sam groaned. "Why can't you just leave like a normal person?" Freddie gave her a mocking grin and sat next to her. "Because you're my girlfriend and your feeding my son. Why shouldn't I be able to be here?" Sam looked at him helplessly. "Because I'm not ready for you to see me like this." Freddie looked at Sam contemplatively. "Would it make you feel better if I evened the playing field?" Sam looked at him in confusion. "And how exactly are you going to achieve that?" Freddie replied by removing his shirt. Sam raised an eyebrow at him. "By pretending to be Gibby?" Freddie glared at her. "No. You know; you're showing a bit of yours so I figured I should show mine. Besides, my abs are far better than Gibbys'. Sam chuckled and had to agree. She did not mind looking at shirtless Freddie one bit. After she had fed Dylan, she went to burp him, but Freddie snatched him away, saying that he figured it was only fair he did half the work. Since they did look pretty adorable together, Sam sneakily took a few pictures of them. Shirtless Freddie made for a good model after all.

That night she shared her insecurities about Freddie's presence that afternoon with Sheryl in their weekly phone conversation. Unfortunately for Sam, Sheryl seemed to be more on Freddie's side. "You know Sam," she started thoughtfully. "You've had a lot more time to bond with Dylan and you've got that closer connection; you carried him and you can feed him. Freddie is probably trying to prove to himself that he's able to nurture Dylan too. And he is also a young man full of hormones. If you're not in a physical relationship he's probably taking what he can get so to speak." Sam frowned. "So your saying I should have sex with him." "Not until you're ready." Sheryl replied. "But I'm saying maybe you should work on your relationship with him and perhaps give him the chance to feel like he's bonding more with Dylan."

Sheryl had left Sam with a lot to think about. She decided to start by making some changes to Dylan's sleeping arrangements. "I've been thinking." She said as she sat down next to Freddie on the couch. "Dylan needs to move into his own room at some point. But I thought maybe we could move him into your room first, so he gets used to change, but isn't alone." Freddie smiled. "Ok sure". Sam hoped that in doing this she was going the right way about following Sheryl's advice.

"Let's go out tomorrow night." Freddie said to Sam that Thursday night. "Brody is doing a gig with his band and I think we could do with a little more teenage exposure." Sam nodded her head in agreement. "It's a date." She said. Freddie grinned. "I like the sound of a date." Sam smiled. A date counted as working on their relationship right?

The next night Sam and Freddie found themselves at Brody's gig. Tina immediately waved them over and said how pleased she was to see Sam again. Sarah snorted daintily at that. "I hope you didn't leave the baby alone just so you could attempt to have a social life." She said. "No my mother looks after Dylan when Sam and I aren't around. Freddie replied politely. "You exploit his mother too." Sarah exclaimed in mock horror. "What a crime, letting a grandmother spend time with her grandchild like she wants to." Sam replied dryly. As the night drew on, Sam grew more and more tempted to punch Sarah. And needless to say, by the end of the night she had.

"Well I hope you enjoyed our date." Freddie said sarcastically as they left. "I think I'll wait till the next MMA fight to have another one." Sam grinned as she licked a little blood of her knuckles. "Sounds like the perfect date. Now let's get in the car, and if you're very nice I might do the teenage date thing and let you cop a feel in the backseat." Freddie's eyes grew wide and he eagerly sped out of the public parking lot they were in.


	10. Chapter 10

**Mama's Secret Chapter 10**

 **Author's Note:** A nice short and sweet chapter. As usual thank you to those who read, review, follow and favourite. The next chapter will probably be the last and then I will be focusing on finishing my other story The Birthday Celebration.

It was Christmas time, and although the Puckett's weren't big on yuletide joy, the Benson's centred a heap of tradition around the holiday. From Christmas sweaters to Christmas carols, The Benson's believed in the yuletide gay. Sam feared that her son would learn to sing Jingle Bells before he could say his first full sentence with the number of times Marissa and Freddie had sung it to him.

The change in Sam and Freddie's relationship was probably also considered a Christmas miracle by some. Gone was the awkward friends raising a baby together feeling, and instead it had been replaced by a far more comfortable couple who were facing the challenges of raising their first child together. They hadn't officially moved in together yet (as in sharing a bedroom), but both could see it was probably inevitable; especially with Pam threatening to move in as well. Apparently, Seattle was boring without them.

Sam awoke on Christmas morning to a weight bouncing on her stomach. "Mama, mama." Dylan babbled as he bounced on her stomach. Sam turned her head to the side to glare at Freddie who was standing beside her bed looking unreasonably excited for so early in the morning. "It's 7.30," he defended. "Dylan and I've been waiting an hour already." Sam groaned and slowly got out of bed. "I'll be 5 minutes." She grumbled.

Sitting in front of the Christmas tree, a cup of coffee in hand, Sam began to feel more spirited. Freddie was trying to encourage Dylan to open all his presents, but the baby was started to get bored, so Freddie instead had Dylan hold a present and they walked it over to Sam together. "Clever boy." Sam cooed as Dylan reached her. Freddie then handed Sam her present. "From Dylan and I." He said with a wink. It was a plane ticket to visit Carly. She gave them both a kiss then handed Freddie's present to him. It was also tickets, but to a convention he'd been wanting to go to. "Take Brody." Sam said firmly when she saw him start to speak. Freddie grinned. "I was going to say thank you, but will do."

After spending the day playing with Dylan and his new toys and dining on Marissa's Christmas dinner, Sam and Freddie went up to bed feeling rather satisfied. Sam ducked into her room to get changed, before knocking on Freddie's door. "What are you doing?" Freddie asked as Sam sashayed over to his bed and lay on it." Sam gave a naughty grin and took off her jacket to show him the tank top she wore underneath which boldly declared 'undress me'. "Giving you another Christmas present." She answered out loud. Freddie smiled back. "If you're sure." Sam rolled her eyes. "I never do things I not certain of, now get over here Fredsap." Freddie lay beside her looking at her intently. "You know I really do love you and Dylan right?" Sam nodded. "Of course. I feel the same was about Dylan… and you." She added. That was all it took for Freddie to snap, and in a heartbeat he was on top of her crushing his lips against hers.

"I'll think I'll move in." Sam said, looking up at the ceiling as her and Freddie lay in bed, hands intertwined. Freddie turned to look at her intently. "Ok." He agreed, seeing the resolution in her eyes. "You know." He mused. "Maybe I should have brought you that engagement ring for Christmas after all." Sam froze. "Are you serious?" She demanded. "I thought about it." Freddie answered. "But I didn't think we were ready." Sam nodded her approval. "Once I've finished this course we can talk about adult stuff like that." Freddie chuckled. "I'm holding you to that Sammy."


	11. Chapter 11

**Mama's Secret Chapter 11**

 **Author's Note:** A short and sweet epilogue to finish off this story. As always thank you to those who read, review and follow.

 **Epilogue**

"I hate you". Sam growled at her husband. Freddie laughed at his wife as he lay on their bed with his laptop, while Sam glared at him from their adjoining bathroom, her head over the toilet bowl. "No you don't." He replied. "You're thrilled you're pregnant. You were just as worried as I was that after three years of trying, it wasn't going to happen." Sam growled. "Yes it's ironic we got a baby when we didn't try and couldn't when we did. "But we do now." Freddie reminded Sam, placing his hands over her stomach as she crawled back into bed.

Sam was now a success chef who co-hosted a cooking show with Carly who had become a television presenter. Freddie did film some of their show for promotional purposes, but preferred his job working as a software designer. Dylan was growing up fast and giving his teachers nightmares of when they had taught Sam, but with Freddie's more academic brain. The family had moved back to Seattle and Marissa had even moved back into Bushwell Plaza, and much to everyone's surprise, Pam had moved to an apartment nearby. Freddie and Sam owned a nice house in the suburbs and with the birth of this baby they would be pretty much the perfect American dream family. Except for when they had one of their legendary arguments.

Charlotte Benson was born 5 months later to (in particular) a very happy Dad, who was delighted to experience the whole experience this time. After she was born, he swore his little girl wasn't allowed to go to a party until was at least 25. He didn't want to risk his little girl turning out like her mother. Dylan Benson wasn't particularly excited to have a baby girl cramping his style, but swore he was going to be the best brother a little sister could want. And Sam was just hoping it would all go smoothly.


End file.
